"See the Shreveport Dog Park Alliance Facebook page (event page: Wine and Beer Tasting with a Bite) for info/funny animal photo entries. Dress in the colors of your pet or animal prints, but please leave pets at home for this one," adds Keith.

Please respond if you are attending, for more info call me at 469-1325.

Friday, December 30, 2011

In the Times editorial "Reboot of Red River District on," Liz Swaine, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, is quoted thusly, "What is loud and clear is that no one wants to go back to what it was. The desire is for more and different restaurants, amenities such as a bakery, coffee shop, dry cleaner, a place that sells Louisiana-made goods."

The Times pointed out that "the presence of CoHabitat, a shared workspace for professionals who work independently or on a freelance basis, just down the street has spurred new creative interest in the area that needs nourishment to grow."

We agree on emphasizing the day life of the charming space under the bridge. And have some ideas about resetting the tone of the daytime activities.

The district might create an alliance with SciPort and the Red River Waterway Visitor Center. I would like to see a program that send students - or tourists or senior citizens - to all 3 locations, one after the other.

At the District there could be River-centered workshops for students, visitors and senior citizens built around these themes:

1. model boat sketching and building - flatboats, steamboats, futuristic pontoon bridges. 2. architecture of the turn-of-the-century: make sketches and assemble models. 3. music and dance of the Red River valley - making percussion instruments and learning dances. 4. Creating stories and videos about the history of Shreveport based on historic source material. What about the story of the doctor who shot the town bully?5. Best practices workshop: perusing photos of smart uses of riverfront development in many cities - from Little Rock to London - and making a sketch or writing a dream of how that might be implemented on Shreveport and Bossier's banks.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Sankofa Gardens is a creative community and a fresh food oasis in the Linwood-Caddo Heights area of Shreveport. It is part of a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to celebrating and cultivating the art, culture, and community life of people of African descent, says Leia Lewis.

"Our central work is Sankofa Gardens, an organic community garden andlearning campus based in Shreveport, Louisiana. Sankofa Gardens is thesite of creative and educational programming designed to unify community,strengthen family bonds, and enhance life skills for prosperity amongresidents of the Caddo Heights-Linwood area and beyond.

Sankofa Vision, Inc. welcomes people of all backgrounds who seekpersonal enrichment and wish to create a better world."

A fundraiser is the deluxe Sankofa Calendar. Suggested donation is $21. See more at Sankofavision.org. Or say hello to Leia 318-230-2892.

Based on a lunch enjoyed this week, Eggplant Pirogue at the midday price of 9.99 is a reason that New Orleans-minded diners will include Copeland's in holiday celebrations.

My lunch was delayed by the arrival of an unusual number of large parties, said the manager, so the wait time was offset by complimentary biscuits. Copeland's biscuits are virtually the same as those of Popeyes. They were light and high and managed an aura of both sweetness and saltiness.

Additionally, the meal was sealed with complimentary cheesecake. This gourmand chose the giddily foolish chocolate version. The body was wealthy with goodness; the crust was roegasmic.

Dishes that called my name from the menu included red beans and rice with andouille (6.99) and tomato-basil chicken (8.29).

The recent revamping of Copeland's has not been radical. Today it is perhaps a more open restaurant than ever, with sight lines that enable you to see more of your fellow diners in the main room. The banquet room has large windows facing Bert Kouns and looked like a photographer's dream.

Does stepping into the mahogany world of Copeland's enable one to escape the humdrum world of Shreveport-Bossier?

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

The creator of the live action / puppet story of Fantastic Mr Fox as seen in New Orleans and Shreveport, Arthur Mintz, writes that "I just wanted to let you know that the Dec. 31st extension of Fantastic Mr. Fox has sold out! We will extend again for a final 2 weeks. Through Jan. 15th."

Pam Atchison and William Joyce, who brought the show to Artspace, have encouraged people who love theater and art and who saw Fox early to see the show one more time.

Through December 30, at 2 and 4 p.m., take part in our Toy Making Workshops, where you can make a toy to take home and alleviate some of the stress on Santa’s elves! Toys to make include:

Cartesian Divers: Make a toy where you can see your underwater diver go from the top of the bottom of your water bottle “ocean,” and learn about buoyancy and Pascal’s Law. Kazoos: Create an instrument that uses your voice and vibration to make music. Spinning Tops: Explore inertia, friction, gravity and the centrifugal force while making your own top.

As a new program demonstrated daily at 3 p.m., Why Does Rudolph’s Nose Glow is a great addition to family memories made at Sci-Port this holiday season. Rudolph went down in history, but he’s not the only animal that glows! This program will teach visitors how and why some animals and minerals emit light. Participants will be able to examine glowing specimens and see how chemical reactions can result in a colorful show.

Don’t forget about our annual New Year’s at Noon celebration, too! This year, the party will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 31. At Noon, start the New Year off with us as we commemorate our East Asian counterparts as they celebrate their New Year at Midnight. Come celebrate, and learn about the traditions of East Asian cultures, which include our traditional Dragon Dance! Plan to count down to Noon at Sci-Port with a balloon drop.

In addition to Sci-Port’s holiday programs, the popular holiday IMAX films, The Light Before Christmas and Santa vs. the Snowman, are back this season and showing until January 6, 2012. Visit www.sciport.org/IMAX for showtimes.

"The I-49 Inner City Connector Project is part of the I-49 Corridor which runs from Winnipeg, Canada to New Orleans, Louisiana," says i49shreveport.com.

"The I-49 Inner City Connector will be a new interstate facility approximately 3.6 miles in length. It is proposed to intersect Shreveport in order to connect I-49 at the I-20 interchange with I-49 North in the vicinity of the I-220 interchange."

Among the informed voices in the discussion over connector routes is Lee Jeter of the Fuller for Housing, Representative Roy Burrell and planner Kim Mitchell of Morgan Hill Sutton & Mitchell Architects, L.L.C.

They will chat with Robert Trudeau on the program Time for A Better Shreveport on Mon, Dec 19, from 5 - 5:30 pm. The program broadcasts live from KSCL, Centenary College, at 91.3 fm.

"Tonight at 7, William Joyce & Brandon Oldenburg of Shreveport's Moonbot Studios will be in the LPB studios - see their poignant short film "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," plus life behind the scenes at the studio. Check out their fabulous iPad app, too."

Registration begins at 5:00pm at Artspace. Feel free to join us at any time as there will be plenty of drink specials This Month's Participants:ArtspaceErnest Orlean's RestaurantLake St Dance HallNoble SavageSandbar Anyone 21 or older can register at Artspace from 5:00pm - 9:00pm (710 Texas Street). You will receive a free passport to direct you to the participating locations. Preregister at http://www.shreveporthappyhour.com/unwind/

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Santaland Diaries, written by David Sedaris, takes us behind the cardboard candy canes and fake snow of Macy's Santaland in New York City, says Luke Eddy.

Guided by our not-so-friendly elf, Crumpet, we get to see what it's really like to be one of Santa's little helpers as they usher clueless tourists, obsessive parents and a slew of misbehaving children through their make-shift winter wonderland.

Make no mistake, our foul-mouthed little elf is here to skewer the holidays with a healthy helping of sarcasm.

This hour-long, one-man show starring Luke Thomas Eddy will open Dec 15 and run for one weekend only with performances Dec 15, 16 and 17 at 8 pm with a closing performance on Dec 18 at 2 pm.

$15 for adults, $12 for seniors and military, $10 for Centenary and non-Centenary College students with a valid ID.

Tickets can be reserved by leaving a message on the box office voicemail at 869-5242.

The Marjorie Lyons Playhouse is located on Wilkinson Street between Woodlawn Avenue and Alexander Street.

Chris Allen is directing a new group of upright bass players called the “Bass Cats” that will be performing on December 17th and 18th, says Allen.

If you arrive at the Shreveport Symphony concert a little early on those dates, you’ll hear Chris and five of his students playing holiday music in the lobby of the Riverview Theatre beginning around 7 pm.

The ensemble is fashioned after San Francisco bassist Barry Green’s “Green Man Group,” a dozen bass students who perform and tour together. Barry Green is known by symphony musicians as the guy who wrote “The Inner Game of Music,” a book dealing with the psychological aspect of music performance, which most serious musicians have read at one time or another.

Future information about the ensemble will be posted at www.chrisallenbass.com.

"Latonia Barto is an artist and wonderful woman in her third round of battling against cancer whose husband Joey works here at Fairfield Studios," explains Clint McCommon. "To help the family, there will be a benefit at Fairfield Studios this Friday at 7pm. Dirtfoot and Songbird will be performing. There will also be an art auction with all proceeds going towards the Barto Family."

$7 donation at the door to attend. City Bar is sponsoring a cash bar with portion of those proceeds going to the Barto family as well.

The Academy of Children's Theatre will present the classic musical, Oliver!, at the Riverview Theatre in Shreveporton Jan. 6 and 7 at 7:00 p.m. and Jan. 8 at 2:00, says Cynthia Whitaker.

The popular holiday show is the musical version of Charles Dickens's famous novel, Oliver Twist.

The local production boasts a cast of 40 of the most talented young performers in our area along with regional theatre adult actors including Nate Wasson as Fagin, Maddison Gilcrease as Nancy, Christian Dantes as Bill Sykes, John Peyton Pou as Dodger, and Trevor VanEaton as Oliver.

Tickets for the production are $15.00 for students, seniors (55 an older) and military, and $20.00 for adults.

Exploring the nuances at play in a 1940's American family was surprisingly satisfying on Fri as River City Repertory opened The Subject was Roses.

A somber drama, Roses has no big secrets - no incest, no abortions, no diabolical abuse. Thus the weight of the show falls to the skill of the director and cast.

Donna McKechnie, veteran stage performer from NYC, became the embodiment of Middle American Mom. Richard Folmer, a dean of acting in this region, matched her as the Classic, Conflicted Dad. The question was whether young actor Logan Sledge might have the chemistry to inject salt and vinegar into their predictable lives.

On Fri night Sledge brought the timing, the empathy and ever-so slight edge, as well as the warmth, to the role of the son. The son who has returned from WWII and who may or may not fulfill his parents' goals.

Director Patric McWilliams has taken Sledge, slim and a subtly sexy guy, into a series of roles in River City Rep (in Doubt, The Rose Tattoo, The Lion in Winter among them) that offer this audience a portrait of a growing and affecting young actor. The Subject was Roses represents a quiet flowering of that partnership.

Friday, December 09, 2011

Kenney Koonce recommends, "Celebrate Highland: A Holiday Home Tour. This bi-annual event happens Sat, Dec 10, and Sun, Dec 11. There are 13 stops on this tour, giving you a glimpse into historic homes ranging in style from cozy bungalows, stately four-squares, and gracious Southern Colonial mansions. We have grand Fairfield Avenue mansions built by the founding father's of Shreveport, one with a tie to the White House."

"Come enjoy a cool evening and see why more and more people are moving back to our historic city center," adds Koonce.

"This is a unique opportunity for Shreveport theatre-goers to see a Tony Award winner/ Broadway icon in River City Repertory Theatre's production of The Subject was Roses," says director Patric McWilliams.

The show stars Donna McKechnie, Tony winner for the original A Chorus Line, and opens December 9 at 7:30 pm.

Logan Sledge and Richard Folmer share the stage with McKechnie.

The additional performances are December 10 (7:30 pm) and December 11 (3 p.m.) Call 318-868-5888 for reservations and additional information.

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

This weekend, as the 4-character drama Two Rooms was being performed at minicine?, the life and breath of the director/producer of that play, Jerelyn Gilstrap, collapsed.

Gilstrap had suffered bouts of severe health issues for years. Yet she kept herself alive by seeing the necessity of producing another drama to feed the intellectual needs of a small group of literary-minded Shreveporters.

The players completed their performances in Two Rooms.

A veteran of dramatic productions in Washington, DC and NYC, Gilstrap arrived in Shreveport in 2008 with a mission to produce the fiercely intellectual drama Copenhagen.

Between hospitalizations she lost most of the cast and crew and the site of that drama. Gilstrap, a well-read woman of uncommon determination, was not deterred. Eventually her production of Copenhagen took place at the LSUS Black Box Theater.

"Rather than a funeral home memorial service - which we know she would detest - we have decided to have a lunch-time friends and family get-together," wrote her sister, Jenean.

Monday, December 05, 2011

Alex “Snook” Jones apparently spent more time playing piano around Shreveport than hanging out in studios cutting records. Nevertheless, he did leave a small legacy of recordings.

Around 1965, Jones recorded a 45 issued on Blue Boy Records. The credits state that he composed both songs while Harding Guyon Demarais (aka Dee Marais) handled the publishing. No other records have surfaced on this label, so perhaps it was a vanity project financed by Jones. The guitar playing reminds me of Shreveporter Jesse Thomas, though I’ve yet to uncover evidence supporting his involvement.

Sunday, December 04, 2011

The year was 1948 and post-war Shreveport wondered what to do with itself. It was not clear that the US would muscle its way into a new era of prosperity.

Jimmie Davis' term as governor ended in 1948, says CaddoHistory.com. The governor hit the road as a full fledged entertainer, fronting his Sunshine Band. 1948 was also the year that KWKH first broadcast the Louisiana Hayride.

But there were music lovers in Shreveport who wanted to experience performances of something other than pop music. They coalesced around young violinist John Shenaut. On their minds was the founding of an orchestra and an opera.

Surely it was a struggle. In fact, Shreveport had already seen the formation and dissolution of a symphonic orchestra in the 1930's.

But the team used the charming Mr. Shenaut to galvanize a new effort.

Maestro Shenaut became the leader and the face of an organization that grew into an institution, the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. He lead the SSO for some 30 years.

On Dec 2, 2011, Shenaut died. A vigil will be held on Tues, Dec 6, from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. at Rose Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall St., says the SSO. Visitation will follow from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.

A funeral mass will take place at 11 a.m. on Wed, Dec 7, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 211 Atlantic Avenue, Shreveport.

The Maestro was well honored by Shreveport during his long life. The photo of Shenaut in wheelchair above was taken during a SSO concert in 2007 dedicated to his enduring energy.

Cole Brand, former Houstonian, is taking the lead in planning the speakers and sites comprised in the TEDx Red River series (Technology Entertainment and Design; the X means it's an indie). The programs begin in January.

Deborah Allen is associated with the Philadelphia Center and is a community activist with numerous causes in hand.

Both will chat on-air at KSCL, Centenary radio, 5 to 5:30 pm on Monday. The program is Time for A Better Shreveport. Hosts are Robert Trudeau, Loren Demerath and Carolyn Manning.

Meetings of A Better Shreveport are open to all and take place on Mons, 6 pm to 7 pm. This week's meeting is a social mixer and takes place at Lake St Dance Hall.